373
16
to the views entertained by the representatives of local public opinion, as stated in para- graphs 3 and 4 of this despatch, the renewal of the controversy year after year and on every possible occasion will harden local opposition and will embitter and exacerbate public feeling. It may be questioned whether in such circumstances, His Majesty's Government would be able indefinitely to disregard local feeling so unanimously and so forcibly expressed; and I venture to suggest that a generous concession made now would, in the end, prove to have been a wiser course than persistence in demands which it may not prove possible permanently to enforce.
17
12th July, 1928*, dealing with the principle set out therein, as they do not consider their case has been answered by the proposed reduction of the maximum percentage referred I advise that this request be complied to in paragraphs 2 and 4 Ordinance No. 64."
with as any attempt at once to amend the Ordinance to give effect to your proposal would only precipitate a deadlock.
C. 62093/29 [No. 17].
No. 12.
C. 62093/29 [No. 4].
I have, &c.,
HUGH CLIFFORD, M.C.S..
Governor.
No. 10.
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE
to
THE GOVERNOR.
(Sent 2.55 p.m., 22nd March, 1929.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 11.]
Personal. As a result of discussion with Worthington Evans last October and subsequent correspondence, War Office have agreed to accept proposal that the Straits Settlements should continue to pay a military contribution under the existing Ordinance subject only to (1) exclusion from cost of garrison of initial capital expenditure on the new Naval Base; and (2) reduction of revenue limit from 20 to 17 per cent. if the Unofficial Members will agree to make such a proposal.
I have read your Confidential despatch of 14th February*, but the contentions advanced in it do not seem likely to lead to any reconsideration of previous decision not to accept proposal for a fixed contribution. I shall be glad, therefore, if you will now do your utmost to obtain the agreement of the Unofficial Members in an offer as proposed above being made officially by the Straits Settlements Government. It will, of course, be understood that this will clear the ground entirely of any controversy as to how far the troops in the Straits Settlements are there for Colonial or Imperial purposes.-AMERY.
(No. 731.) MY LORD,
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT
to
THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Received 23rd December, 1929.)
[Answered by Nos. 13 and 15.].
Government House, Singapore, 26th November, 1929. With reference to Sir Hugh Clifford's despatch No. 514 of the 18th July, 1928†, I have the honour to enclose for Your Lordship's information a copy of a speech by the Honourable Mr. J. Bagnall at the meeting of the Legislative Council held on 28th October, 1929, and a copy of the reply made by the Acting Colonial Secretary.
2. Throughout the discussion on this question the Unofficial Members of Council, while maintaining their position, have endeavoured to cause as little embarrassment as possible to the Government. They have exercised patience and moderation, and they are not a little disappointed at their failure to obtain any reply to the representations made by them in their letter of the 12th July, 1928. I would urge upon Your Lordship that it is particularly desirable that the Unofficial Members of Council should not be allowed to feel that they are being treated with any less consideration than they themselves have exercised, and I would earnestly ask that they be given an early reply to the case set out in their letter in question.
I have, &c.,
JOHN SCOTT,
Officer Administering the Government.
Enclosure in No. 12.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :---
C.O.882/11
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
C. 62093/29 [No. 7].
No. 11.
THE GOVERNOR
to
THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 7.16 a.m., 15th April, 1929.) TELEGRAM.
Your personal telegram of 22nd Marcht. Military 15th April. Personal. contributions. I have communicated informally to Unofficial Members your proposal and have urged upon them advisability of accepting it, emphasizing (a) the fact that a definite and substantial concession has been proposed in deference to their protest; (b) thạt you have personally striven hard for the Colony in order to obtain this concession; and (c) the danger to which the Colony will be exposed if matter be pushed to an issue and an agitation for alteration of the constitution there from results. Before expressing any opinion on the subject of the proposed concession they have now informed me that they would like a reasoned reply from the Imperial Government to their letter dated
* No. 9.
† No. 10.
EXTRACT FROM THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DATED THE
28TH OCTOBER, 1929.
*
*
MR. J. BAGNALL: Sir, it is with regret that I find it necessary to address you to-day on the question of the Defence Contribution, as I and my colleagues had hoped that before this budget meeting took place our requests of last year would have been granted. To avoid repetition and to save time to-day, I have circulated the gist of my remarks to the Unofficial Members of Council, and I may say that their unanimous approval has been forthcoming. I can assure you, Sir, that our opinions, as expressed last year, have undergone no change; they are recorded in our letter to Sir Hugh Clifford of 12th July, 1928.
Various speeches were made in Council in connexion with the Defence Contribution from the middle of 1927 onwards expressing dissatisfaction with the additional sums which were charged to the Colony and which appeared to be expenditure rightly to be borne by the Imperial Government. Those protests led to the Colonial Office despatch No. 185 of 30th April, 1928§, in which a review of the Defence Contribution was coupled with certain proposals for the future. Those proposals did not meet with the approval § No. 1.
• Enclosure in No. 2.
† No. 2.
↑ Enclosure in No. 2.